Clock with a Tzolkin calendar

ABSTRACT

A conventional type clock with a date, hour, minute and seconds display, characterized in that Maya signs are provided instead of the usual hour signs and in that the 20 Tzolkin day symbols are applied to an outer ring that can rotate according to the clock movement. The meaning of each of the respective combinations of Maya signs and Tzolkin day symbols can be inferred from the corresponding Tzolkin calendar.

BACKGROUND

Tzolkin is a time division which contains criteria for planning time.Such a timely rhythm originating from the Maya philosophy is known inscience, however, does not find any application. The present daycalendar is based on a quantitative division into centuries, years,months, weeks, days, minutes, and seconds. Tzolkin includes qualitativecriteria for planning time.

Tzolkin is a component of the Maya calendar. In their calendar systemsthe Mayas, who are known as experts in astronomy, mathematics,architecture, and chronology, combine three kinds of measuring time,which make it possible to exactly calculate over thousands of years and,hence, to describe the development of the future concerning time. Thustime becomes something calculable due to repetitions in definiteintervals, rather than something unpredictable.

The chronology begins on 11^(th) August, 3114 BC and consists of thesolar calendar of 365 days, of the Tzolkin rhythm with 260 days and ofthe Choltun period of 52 years.

The solar calendar and Tzolkin function like a cycle, that is, therhythms of time regularly return to the starting point, just as eachnight is followed by a day again—the cycle of one day. Only Choltun runslinearly, that is, it sums up the years of the sun periods and of theTzolkin. Tzolkin is a rhythm of 260 days and is based upon thecalculations of the influence the Moon, Mars, and Venus have on theEarth, and corresponds to the development of man. Said 260 days are acombination of 20 units which are 13 times repeated. By the combinationof each of the 20 units and the symbols of a day, respectively, with anyof the numbers 1 through 13, each of the 260 days gets a uniquestanding, and provides informations on potential developments. After 260days the cycle starts all over again.

The characteristics of the days build up one upon the other, completeeach other, change their value by combination with the numbers. TheCholtun is the sum of 52 years, for the solar calendar and Tzolkin startagain after 52 years with exactly the same date. Thus, a new periodstarts, that is, a new stage in the development of the human society.

Tzolkin combines modern life with the originality. He combines moderntime management with the naturally set conditions, since the Tzolkinrhythm has developed from nature. Not only is the year divided into 365days, 52 weeks, and 12 months, but each day provides a help for findingone's way. Thus, each day gets an own, an exceptional value which can bemade up individually. So time is not only a division into sections, butalso division of ideas, thoughts, and activities. The 260 days providean orientation as concerns their content by the symbols of the days andthe intellectual orientation by the associated numbers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The Tzolkin clock and the Tzolklin calendar are a modern combinationbetween man, nature and techniques for the way of life in occupation andin private life. Thereby, there is a new perspective presented on time,meaning, and cultural background for the personal planning of time.

The signs, numbers, and symbols are the same on the clock and in thecalendar. A description of and introduction into the meaning of theTzolkin day symbols and the Tzolkin numbers are part of the calendar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1-5 illustrate the Tzolkin clock of the invention.

An outer ring (4), upon which 20 Tzolkin day symbols (1) are provided,is integrated in the dial (0) of the clock, said ring (4) is rotatablyseated and driven by the clock interior. The drive is achieved by theinterior of the clock, in that, after one day (24 hours), said outerring (4) is clockwise rotated on by one Tzolkin day symbol (1). Insteadof the hour signs which are usual up to now Maya signs (3) are providedfrom 01:00 to 12:00^(h) on the dial (0). On an inner part of the clock,there is provided a rotatable inner ring (5) which is driven by theinterior of the clock and upon which 13 Tzolkin numbers (2) areattached. The inner ring (5) is driven by the interior of the clock insuch a way that the same is rotated on by one Tzolkin number (2) afterone day (24 hours). By means of a viewing window (6), the respectiveTzolkin day number (2) is visible which, in this way, is locatedadjacent to the respective day symbol (1) on the outer ring (4).Thecombination of the respective day symbol (1) and the Tzolkin number (2)which can be read from the viewing window (6) results in the meaning ofthe respective day which meaning is described in more detail in thecalendar which is added to the inventional clock.

FIG. 3 represents a further embodiment of the inventional clock. Thisalternative of embodiment differs from the embodiment which has beendescribed up to here in that the outer ring (4) with the 20 Tzolkin daysymbols (1) provided on it, is located hidden under the dial (0) which,by an interior clock drive, is also rotated on by one day symbol (1)after one day (24 hours). On a respective day, the respective Tzolkinday symbol (1) is rendered visible in the viewing window (6) rightadjacent to and together with the respective Tzolkin number (2).

The embodiment of the inventional clock is at will and can bemanufactured as a wall clock, but preferably as a wrist-watch.

With respect to the Tzolkin calendar, the user of the inventional clockcan read the former either in the form of a simple description of themeaning of the symbolism and of the Tzolkin numbers for each day, or hecan, however, also use a Tzolkin day routine in which the respectiveTzolkin day symbols and the Tzolkin numbers and a combination of thesame can be found, besides a customary and conventional calendar. Tothis end, it is referred to FIGS. 4 and 5.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

0 dial 1 Tzolkin day symbol 2 Tzolkin number 3 Maya sign 4 outer ring 5inner ring 6 viewing window

What is claimed is:
 1. Clock with a Tzolkin calendar comprising a date,hour, minute and seconds display of conventional design, a dial, a clockmechanism for sequentially displaying 20 Tzolkin day symbols and 13Tzolkin numbers, and means for displaying time from 01:00 to 12:00h onsaid dial.
 2. Clock with a Tzolkin calendar as claimed in claim 1,wherein Maya signs of from 01:00 to 12:00h are provided on the dialinstead of the heretofore usual hour signs.
 3. Clock with a Tzolkincalendar as claimed in claims 1 or 2, further including an outer ring(4), rotatable by the clock mechanism, on which are provided 20 Tzolkinday symbols, said ring is rotated by the clock mechanism one symbolevery 24 hours.
 4. Clock with a Tzolkin calendar as claimed in claim 1wherein 13 Tzolkin numbers are provided on an inner ring rotatable bythe clock mechanism, said ring is rotated one by one number after oneday (24 hours) and, by means of a viewing window, the respective numberwith the associated Tzolkin day symbol can directly be read from thedial.
 5. Clock with a Tzolkin as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein thecombination of the respective daily readable Tzolkin day symbol with therespective Tzolkin number has a meaning described in more detail in theTzolkin calendar.
 6. Clock with a Tzolkin calendar as claimed in claims1 or 2, further comprising a calendar in which the meaning of theTzolkin day symbols, the meaning of the Tzolkin numbers and, resultingtherefrom, the respective combinations between the day symbols andnumbers are described.
 7. Clock with a Tzolkin calendar as claimed inclaim 1 or 2, further comprising an outer ring with the 20 Tzolkin daysymbols provided thereupon and hidden under the dial, a viewing window,the respective day symbol being adjacent the respective Tzolkin numberand being readable with the latter in the viewing window.